Advocacy

Special Meeting for DAAR Members: Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act Amendments - Friday, April 9th, 2010, 10:00-12:00 p.m.

2010-03-15T13:05:00Z

The Loudoun County Board of supervisors (LCBOS) is moving forward with a proposal to implement the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act this year. The amendments require that property owners protect perennial streams and non-tidal wetlands contiguous to other water bodies by imposing a 100-foot management buffer or setback from all bodies of water. ]]> Sign-up today!

Special Meeting for DAAR Members: Limestone Overlay District -Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

2010-03-15T06:15:00Z

On Wednesday, February 17th, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to enact the Limestone Overlay District which alters the way property owners use their land on over 14,000 areas north and south of Leesburg. Don't miss out on important information regarding how the new regulations affect land use and notices in deeds, site plans, tax and subdivision records.]]> registration is required.

Loudoun County Offers New Rental Rehabilitation Program

2010-03-11T18:25:11Z

As part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), Loudoun County is offering a new Rental Rehabilitation Program (RRP), which provides for the rehabilitation of previously foreclosed homes in designated NSP neighborhoods. The purpose of the RRP is to rehabilitate substandard rental housing units and create affordable housing. ]]>
Eligibility Requirements:

-Projects must be located in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) designated areas.
-Properties must be previously foreclosed units.
-Projects must be adequately maintained and operated within the prescribed rent levels after renovations. (Owners will be required to have a minimum of a 10% equity interest in the project as an incentive to maintain and operate units after rehabilitation.)
-Projects must be used primarily for residential rental purposes (51% of floor area-duplex 50%).
-Projects requiring permanent displacement will not be considered for participation.

Priority Projects:
-Projects containing units with substandard conditions that are occupied by very low income families before rehabilitation will be given priority.
-Projects with two or more bedrooms will be given priority.
-Projects that will be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps will be given priority.
-Projects that have one or more substandard conditions as defined by residential/building property code requirements will be given priority.

For more information about the program and application procedure, contact Antwaun Jackson, Department of Family Services, at 703-737-8213.

Real Estate Sign Legislation Provides Relief for REALTORS® and Businesses

2010-02-26T13:40:30Z

In early 2009, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors authorized the establishment of a volunteer sign collection program to remove illegally placed signs within the Commonwealth of Virginia's right-of-ways located in the county. The Code of Virginia (33.1-373; 33.1-375) prohibits advertising within the limit of any highway, which includes the roadway, shoulders and median strips. ]]> HB 553/SB 64) being considered that will hold sign volunteers accountable if they take legally placed signs and require them to return the signs within 10 business days. In addition, the legislation clears up a misinterpretation concerning signs Realtors® put in the ground without the use of tools, digging, etc. Under these two bills, if you do NOT use tools, and if you do NOT dig, you will not be required to call "Miss Utility." Read more about other issues of concern moving forward through the General Assembly during the 2010 session.

Town of Leesburg Sign Regulations Under Review

2010-02-25T20:14:11Z

The Town of Leesburg is reviewing their sign regulations in Article 15 of the Zoning Ordinance to keep current with industry changes and Town growth. The regulations were previously reviewed in 1996 and comprehensively revised in 1983 (East Market Street Study). Prior to public hearings to be held during Planning Commission and Town Council meetings beginning in May 2010, core stakeholders have been contacted for their consideration and discussion. ]]> Project Charter, as well as a "Top Ten" focus list drafted for commercial signage review. In addition, public input is encouraged via an online survey for residents and business owners to share concerns and suggestions. For questions or comments, please contact Deputy Zoning Administrator, Wade Burkholder (703-771-2758).

Supervisors Adopt Limestone District

2010-02-25T13:47:17Z

On Wednesday, February 17th, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to impose the Limestone Overlay District which alters the way property owners use their land on over 14,000 areas north and south of Leesburg. The LOD regulations apply to all land development applications and those property owners who disturb land within the district. ]]>
DAAR is exploring opportunities to help mitigate the regulation's impact on property owners. For more information, contact Christine Windle, Director of Government Affairs and Communications, 703/579-0304.

Chesapeake Bay Regulations to impact Property Owners

2010-02-25T13:32:35Z

Last year, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (BOS) voted to move forward with opting into portions of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Loudoun County is not a tidewater county and is not required to impose the Bay Act regulations on property owners. The proposed regulations aim to reduce pollution runoff into the Chesapeake Bay by implementing certain restrictions on agriculture and other land uses in Loudoun County. ]]> Despite the number of concerns raised about the proposal, the LCBOS voted to move the proposal to a Planning Commission public hearing on Thursday, January 28th where it received a cold reception from the majority of those in attendance. The proposal, which requires that property owners protect perennial streams and non-tidal wetlands contiguous to other water bodies by imposing a 100-foot management buffer or setback from all bodies of water, will be debated during Planning Commission work sessions on March 3rd and 10th at the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, VA. A vote on the regulations is expected by the LCBOS by April 2010.

Mortgage Interest Deduction Under Attack

2010-02-22T13:46:03Z

On February 1, President Obama released his budget proposal for 2011. Consistent with its proposed FY 2010 budget, the Administration's again has recommended limiting the value of the mortgage interest deduction (MID) for upper income taxpayers by, in effect, converting the deduction to a 28% tax credit for those individuals currently in the 33% or 35% tax brackets.
Under current law, interest paid on up to $1 million of mortgage debt, plus interest paid on home equity loans or lines of credit of up to $100,000 may be deducted. These caps apply to the combined indebtedness on a principal residence and one additional residence. As currently drafted, the Administration's proposal would change the MID by reducing the economic benefits of mortgage deductibility for families earning over $250,000 (AGI) and on single taxpayers earning over $200,000 (AGI).

In the past, most Members of Congress have supported our views and also opposed changes to the MID. Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and Representative Charles Rangel, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, along with their other colleagues, pointed out in 2009 that changes to itemized deductions were ill advised stating "some of the reforms and offsets contained or referenced in the budget, such as the limitation on itemized deductions, raise concerns and will require more study as we determine the best policies for getting America back on track."

Today's housing market, while improving, cannot absorb any negative signals, no matter what the income level of the taxpayer and no matter what market segment of housing might be affected. As we did in 2009, NAR will launch a multi-phase plan of action to eliminate this provision from the budget plan. NAR has already sent letters to Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate and will continue to protect the MID. Read more about this issue from NAR.

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Board of Supervisors Set to Vote on Limestone Overlay District

2010-02-03T13:12:01Z

After months of debate, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (LCBOS) is set to vote on adopting a Limestone Overlay District (LOD) intended to alter the way property owners use their land on over 14,000 areas north and south of Leesburg. The proposed regulations prohibit "land disturbing activities" and require property owners to conduct expensive geological studies before constructing barns, additions, swimming pools or large gardens.

]]> DAAR raised several concerns before the LCBOS public hearing on the issue last year including a disclosure notice in the land and tax records that may negatively and unnecessarily affect the market value of properties within the LOD. In response to these and other comments, the LCBOS debated the merits of the LOD throughout the rest of 2009. On Monday, January 25th, 2010, the TLUC voted to send the proposal to the full Board for a vote during their Wednesday, Feburary 17th business meeting. DAAR urges members and their clients impacted by this issue to attend the LCBOS public input session on Tuesday, February 16th, 6:00 pm at the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, VA. For more information and to participate in a the DAAR call-to-action on this issue visit www.limestoneboondoggle.com

Loudoun County Offers New Public Employee Homeownership Grant Program

2010-01-07T14:42:56Z

Loudoun County's new Public Employee Homeownership Grant Program offers a grant of a secured loan to income-eligible employees of the Loudoun County Government and Loudoun County Public Schools. The program assists low-to moderate-income public employees in purchasing a home in Loudoun County. www.loudoun.gov/nsp.

Loans are forgivable at 20% of the loan amount annually over a five year period, providing the employee does not leave employment, sell the home or no longer occupies the residence. If any of the above occurs, repayment of the remaining non-forgiven funds will become due and payable to the county either through repayment with proceeds of the sale or conversion to a repayable loan at 3% interest.

Standard eligibility requirements apply. Funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligibility requirements for the program include:

• Must be a full or part-time (minimum 20 hours per week) non-probationary employee
• Shall not have been a resident of Loudoun County during the preceding 12 months. Note that first-time homebuyers are exempt from the residency requirement.
• Cannot own another home or real estate. Sale of currently owned property outside the county must be finalized prior to settlement on new property
• Must meet current eligible income range of $30,800 through $71,900, regardless of family size

For more information about the program and application procedure, contact Karen Thorson, Loan Specialist, at 571-258-3814 or karen.thorson@loudoun.gov.

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County Supervisors Move Bay Act Regulations Forward

2009-12-16T16:38:05Z

Earlier in the year, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (BOS) voted to move forward with the implementation of portions of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and directed county staff to develop a work program for development and enactment of the associated regulations. The proposed regulations aim to reduce pollution runoff into the Chesapeake Bay by implementing certain restrictions on agriculture and other land uses. The BOS further directed that the Planning Commission work with stakeholders groups, including DAAR, as part of the process. ]]> DAAR's Vice Chair of Public Policy Edna Cross, who represents DAAR on the stakeholder's group, delivered comments at the May 5th 2009 meeting and December 3rd 2009 meeting. Despite the number of concerns raised about the proposal, the LCBOS voted to move it another step forward which will give the public an opportunity to comment during a Planning Commission public hearing on Thursday, January 28th, 6:00 pm at the Loudoun County Government Center. At this juncture, the proposal requires that property owners protect perennial streams and non-tidal wetlands contiguous to other water bodies by imposing a 100-foot management buffer or setback from all bodies of water. Landowners could get agricultural reductions down to a 25-foot setback when agricultural best management practices which address erosion control, nutrient management, and pest control, are being implemented on the adjacent land, according to the Act.

NAR Discusses 2009 Legislative Accomplishments

2009-12-08T16:27:32Z

For 2009, the National Association of REALTORS primary public policy goal was to focus on efforts that stimulate, stabilize and strengthen real estate markets across the nation while also protecting the business interests of members. As we near the end of 2009, NAR has made significant progress on both the legislative and regulatory fronts. The successes highlighted below represent a small portion of the activity conducted on behalf of REALTORS® in 2009.

]]> As we look ahead to 2010, NAR will continue to advocate policy initiatives that benefit REALTORS® and consumers in the residential and commercial real estate industry.

Protecting REALTORS®' Business Interest and Activities
Banks in Real Estate - After 8 years of continuous struggle to convince Congress that real estate is not financial in nature and banks should not be allowed in the real estate brokerage business, NAR achieved its objective. On March 11, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, H.R. 1105, was signed into law, and with it a declaration that, going forward, neither real estate brokerage or real estate management can be classified as a financial activity.

Home Valuation Code of Conduct - Citing a lack of guidance from the GSEs, among other things, NAR is calling for an 18 month moratorium. Staff from both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac met with the Appraisal Committee at NAR's 2009 Midyear Meetings. The conversation focused on the implementation of HVCC. With the Code set to expire in November 2010, NAR supports an amendment to H.R. 3126 that will effectively sunset HVCC.

Short Sales - After many months of advocating by NAR, on November 30 the Treasury Department finally released the guidelines and forms for its new Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA), which is part of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). HAFA provides incentives in connection with a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (DIL) used to avoid foreclosure on a loan eligible for modification under the HAMP program. Program features include pre-approving sales terms before listing the property, releasing borrowers from future liability for the unpaid of the first mortgage, and imposing deadlines at each stage.

Expanding Housing Opportunities
First-time Homebuyer Tax Credit - On November 6, President Obama signed legislation that extended and expanded the homebuyer tax credit. NAR was the leading advocate for the extension and expansion of the home buyer tax credit as an important incentive to help stabilize the housing market and stimulate the economy. REALTORS® sent more than 550,000 letters to Members of Congress and Senators.

FHA and GSE Loan Limits - Congress passed legislation to extend the current loan limits for FHA, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae through December 31, 2010. This extension was the third time in 2009 that NAR successfully advocated to retain limits of 125% of median home price (at 2007 levels), capped at $729,750.

Protecting the Mortgage Interest Deduction - The Administration's proposed Fiscal Year 2010 budget included a recommendation that health insurance reform be "paid for" by limiting the value of the mortgage interest deduction (MID) and other itemized deductions for upper income taxpayers. The Administration proposed limiting the value of the deductions to 28% for all taxpayers paying more than 28%. Accordingly, those in the 33% and 35% brackets would receive less value for their deductions. NAR aggressively fought off changes to the MID through grassroots, advertising and similar advocacy tools. To date, no version of health reform has included any provision that would limit the MID.

Expanding Commercial Real Estate Opportunities
Insurance Surplus Lines - The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2571, the Non-admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act, a bill that seeks to modernize the insurance regulatory system by providing a uniform approach to regulating the commercial surplus lines market. More than 25 percent of commercial insurance in the United States is placed in the surplus lines market, also known as the non-admitted insurance marketplace. This legislation is a key component in overhauling insurance regulation and will help ensure the availability of non-admitted and surplus lines of coverage in areas of the country where admitted property and casualty coverage has grown costly and may even be unavailable.

Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility - The "Financial Stability Plan" announced in early 2009 by Treasury Secretary Geithner included a major expansion of the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) program to include commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). To further ensure the stability and recovery of the commercial credit markets, NAR was successful in advocating for the extension of TALF loans from 3 years to 5 years, as well as having the TALF program extended through 2010.

Eliminating Barriers to Homeownership
Flood Insurance - NAR successfully worked to extend authority for the National Flood Insurance Program while Congress continues to consider important reforms to improve the program's long-term viability. Without this program, property owners in thousands of communities across the U.S. would not be able to obtain the insurance necessary for them to obtain a mortgage in federal designated floodplains.

Energy Efficiency Incentives - NAR eliminated time-of-sale energy efficiency requirements from H.R. 2454: the American Clean Energy and Security Act before passing the House of Representatives. Those provisions would have prescribed energy audits and recording, public disclosure and MLS listing. NAR also succeeded in exempting existing residential and commercial buildings from state building labeling programs in the bill. The House bill also includes additional funding and guidelines for state governments to offer financial and other incentives to property owners who voluntarily improve the energy efficiency of homes. NAR is working to retain those exclusions as the Senate considers the House-passed legislation.

Compliance Guides / Toolkits - Throughout 2009, NAR developed materials to help REALTORS® navigate regulatory issues and new rules that arose during the year:

• An online compliance guide was created for EPA's new Lead Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule.

• VA Toolkit: Home Loan Guaranty Services was created to help veteran clients gain a better understanding of the many advantages the VA loan program has over conventions mortgages.

• NAR worked with FEMA to create two flyers - one for REALTORS® and one for homebuyers - that talks about flood risk and flood insurance.

Courtesy of the National Association of REALTORS

Supervisors Continue Debate on Limestone Overlay District

2009-11-24T14:58:00Z

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (LCBOS) continued their review and consideration this month of a Limestone Overlay District (LOD) intended to place land use restrictions on 1,200 property owners on 14,000 acres north and south of Leesburg. The LCBOS Transportation and Land Use Committee (TLUC) met on November 18th to discuss the proposed regulations and concerns raised since the public hearing on the issue in September.
]]> modifications to the provisions related to the disclosure notice, garden sizes and structures size exemptions. The TLUC will meet on December 16th to discuss further modifications to the proposal which may be considered during the LCBOS business meeting on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010. To express your views on the proposal to the LCBOS, visit www.limestoneboondoggle.com.

Home Loans Available for First-Time Homebuyers in Loudoun

2009-11-12T16:29:36Z

The Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) announced the availability of below market rate loans under the SPARC program (Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalizing Communities) for first-time homebuyers who meet VHDA eligibility requirements. The funds, available through June 30, 2010 or until expended, are administered by the Loudoun County Department of Family Services. Sales price and income limits apply.

]]> Discounts on VHDA first-trust loans will be available at one-half percent (1/2%) below VHDA's loan program rates and available to homebuyers with incomes from $21,550 to $82,150 (adjusted by family size; families of five or more may qualify at higher income levels). These loans are targeted only to households purchasing a foreclosed home (short sales not eligible) in one of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) areas. Current eligible areas are Sterling and Sugarland Run with a zip code of 20164. A map of the eligible area can be found here.

More information about SPARC is available online from VHDA at http://www.vhda.com/ or by contacting one of the VHDA-approved lenders who will be able to explain more about this program. Only VHDA-approved lenders can offer SPARC funding.

For information, contact Karen Thorson, Department of Family Services, at 571-258-3814 or karen.thorson@loudoun.gov.

Experts Discuss Land Use Compatibility Near Dulles Airport

2009-11-09T06:29:00Z

Experts from the Washington Airports Task Force and Loudoun County Zoning teamed up to provide members with an excellent presentation on land use compatibility near the Dulles airport this month. Anita Kayser, Director, Washington Airports Task Force, and Mark Stulz, Loudoun County Zoning, discussed the Homebuyers Guide to Compatible Land Use Around Dulles Airport, Airport Impact Overlay District disclosure and awareness tools for homebuyers and property owners. For more information, click here for the presentation. Special thanks to Vic Herman, Metlife Home Loans, for sponsoring this month's DAAR Lunch Matters.